It's looking increasingly unlikely that the Italian soccer season will get underway on August 27 as scheduled. Earlier today, Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina, three of the four clubs indicted by a sports tribunal for their involvement in a match-fixing ring, presented their appeals to Italy's CONI Court of Conciliation and Arbitration with the hope that the July 25 verdict will be overturned. CONI is Italy's Olympic governing body, but it also oversees other sports; it is said to be the country's highest sporting authority. A CONI verdict isn't expected until August 10. Failing exemption there, the three Italian clubs are likely to take their appeals to civil court. Meanwhile, Stefano Palazzi, the prosecutor who brought the case against the Italian clubs, may call for fresh indictments against Reggina, Arezzo, Messina, Siena and Lecce for their involvement in the same scandal. With 8 clubs still wrapped up in legal proceedings, reports indicate the Serie A and Serie B seasons would start no earlier than September 10 and possibly later.
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